Arriana's Return

Arriana's Return - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Arriana stood her ground, closed her eyes and focused. She brought her hands up in front of her face and shoved her energy to the center of her body, up her spine, down her arms and to her hands. As she began to glow the guards stopped in their tracks and watched her. Her small army took the distractions cue and began to creep in around the cages breaking the locks. Arriana focused more energy into a ball between her hands as the armed men stared in amazement and horror. Once the cages were unlocked the group closed in just as Arriana released her energy in a blinding yellow light. The guards fell backwards as they were rushed. Arriana unsheathed her sword and joined in the fight. It didn't take the guards long to realize what was going on and they began to fight back.

"Give up and we won't hurt you," Arriana said between swings of her sword.

"Never. We will not lose to a bunch of freaks like you. King Lucas will eradicate you from Coresova!" The guard Arriana shouted.

"I really don't want to hurt you. Please stop!" she yelled, ducking under his sword.

The man refused and took another swing at Arriana, narrowly missing her head. She ducked again and plunged her sword into the man's leg. Hearing his scream of pain, Arriana pulled her sword back out.

"I told you to stop! Why are men so stubborn? I'm sorry. Put pressure on it and you'll be fine but you are going to jail," she told the now crying man.

She turned in time to see one of the armed men sneak up behind Barwick as he crossed blades with another man. As the guard swung his sword Arriana ran between them and raised her sword above her head and blocked the blow from killing Barwick. As he heard the clang of metal behind him, he looked and saw Arriana fighting behind him.

"Thank you, Arriana."

"No problem, Barwick," Arriana grunted as she swung her sword at the man catching him in the shoulder.

His sword dropped and there was a blood spilling down his arm where she cut him. She gently grabbed her sword by the blade and hit the man in the head with the pommel knocking him out. The group continued to fight the assassins. As Arriana tried to take down another of the men she felt a sharp pain beneath her armpit. She screamed out in pain and sank to her knees. Deacon heard the scream and looked at Arriana. Another of the guards stabbed her in the side. He was pulling out his sword when Deacon hit him in the back of the head knocking him to the ground. He whirled around to Arriana who lay bleeding on the ground. She looked up at him, pain in her eyes, and smiled.

"Don't let anyone die. Okay."

"Arriana. Hang in there, Arriana," Deacon screamed as her eyes slowly closed.

Arriana, hey wake up. Come on you can do it! I need to wake up! Do you hear me! We need to wake up! Okay, don't go. Don't slip.

Deacon picked Arriana up and leaned her against a tree. He fought his way to Arion knowing that he was the only one who could get her back to the village fast enough. Barwick and Marc gave Deacon and Arion protection to get Arriana mounted.

"Deacon, you must secure her to me. Take the sash from around her waist and tie it to the both of us," Arion instructed.

"Okay. Make sure she gets help!" Deacon told him as he finished tying the sash around Arion's neck and Arriana waist. "She won't fall off will she?"

"No. She'll be fine," Arion told him.

He turned and galloped into the woods. Deacon turned back to the rest of the group and saw that the rest of the men were subdued and being loaded into the wagons.

"Where is he?" Deacon shouted. "Where is that worthless piece of..."

"He's in the wagon with the others," Barwick said.

"Bring him out! Now!" Deacon yelled.

"No. You are in no shape to confront him, Deacon. We are all upset and want a piece of this scumbag but that will not help Arriana. Right now we need to get the wagons back to the village," Barwick said.

"I'm going to kill him! Arriana might be dead because of him!"

"She will be fine. She is a Bawors. It takes more than a blade wound to take them out," Marc reassured Deacon.

"What about her father? It was a sword blade that fell him! If she dies I swear I will kill him myself! Then the rest will die!" Deacon charged at the barred up wagons.

"No, Deacon! Arriana's mother and father were killed by more than one sword. She will be fine. Have faith!" Zoe yelled at him. "There has been enough violence for today. When we return to the village we will ask Arriana what she wants done with the prisoners. First we need to get them and our new friends back to safety before more armed guards arrive."

"Zoe is right. It is not safe here." Aroman looked up at the sky.

Ronan and his siblings offered to have the wagons hitched up to them for the journey back as did Aroman and his clan.

Arion came to a stop in front of the house that Arriana is staying in and began to call out for help. Once Mary and Danni came out, they rushed to Arion. Untying the sash they pulled Arriana from his back.

"She's bleeding! Danni go inside, get a bucket of hot water and some towels! Arion, go get Caleb. He might be able to help," Mary yelled as she held her dying daughter in her arms.

"Arriana! Arriana, please don't die!" she cried.

"Anna? Oh god! What happened?" Scott dropped to his knees staring at his wife who was covered in their baby girl's blood.

"I don't know Scott. I have to find where the wound is. Go and get me a knife," Mary managed to get out between sobs.